Catching Lives is recruiting a Senior Project Worker to join the team at our homelessness day centre in Canterbury. We’re in the process of expanding with current recruitment, so that we can introduce community based support alongside strengthening our core day centre offer.
About Catching Lives
Catching Lives supports people who are homeless or insecurely housed in Canterbury and East Kent. Our vision is of a society where everyone has a safe place to live and the opportunity to lead a fulfilling life. We operate from our day centre, a minute’s walk from Canterbury East station, opening every day of the week to provide basic facilities (food, showers, laundry) alongside one-to-one support to help people improve housing, health and social connection. We also deliver regular activities and host specialist services from partner agencies.
About the role
The Senior Project Worker shares responsibility for the effective daily operation of Catching Lives’ services, in the day centre and in the community. They coordinate with the Manager, colleagues, volunteers and external partners to deliver a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment in which people get the help that they need to make positive changes and move on in their lives. The post-holder provides one-to-one support to clients and works alongside the Manager to offer support and oversight to the wider client-facing team. They are the Designated Safeguarding Lead, assessing and escalating concerns in line with our policy and safeguarding best practice, and participating in multi-agency safeguarding work.
Download the Job Pack
Who we're looking for
We welcome applicants with different forms of experience including voluntary and community roles and/or lived experience, alongside paid work relevant to the seniority of this post.
Essential
- Experience of providing one-to-one support to individuals with a range of needs e.g. in relation to housing, benefits, healthcare.
- Knowledge of current legislation and practice relevant to housing and homelessness.
- Experience of following Safeguarding processes with people at risk.
- Experience of handling challenging behaviour with confidence.
- Experience of managing a workload with varied time-sensitive tasks.
- Experience of problem-solving as part of a team.
- Able to communicate clearly and to remain calm under pressure.
- Able to offer a friendly, non-judgemental service to people experiencing homelessness, addiction, mental ill-health, and other challenges.
- Able to maintain professional boundaries.
- Able to write and speak concisely in plain English.
- Understanding of, and commitment to, diversity, equality and inclusion.
Desirable
- Experience of working in relevant services e.g. housing, homelessness, substance use, recovery, mental health, men’s health and suicide prevention, criminal justice, immigration and asylum, domestic abuse.
- Understanding of trauma-informed care and able to apply this to a day centre setting.
- Previous responsibility for Safeguarding and/or being part of multi-agency Safeguarding responses.
- Fluency in additional languages.
- Lived experience of homelessness and/or experience of using services such as mental health, substance use, criminal justice.
- Driver with a clean UK driving licence and a personal car for use at work.
Working with us
The successful candidate will complete a structured induction that includes shadowing colleagues and visiting local services. Staff typically attend weekly team meetings on Wednesday afternoons, as well as having regular 1-1s with their line manager, and there is confidential access to an employee assistance scheme. The day centre offers free tea and coffee throughout the working day. As well as core training for new starters, there are ongoing training and development opportunities.
The job is open to anyone with the experience and skills listed in the Essential section of the Person Specification below. The post is subject to DBS and reference checks, but please note that our policy does not automatically exclude people with past offences.
We particularly encourage applications from people whose identities are currently under-represented in our team including men, Black and Asian people, LGBTQ+ people and people with lived experience of homelessness.
You're welcome to contact us to discuss the role or visit the day centre before applying.
To apply
Apply by emailing your CV (or a link to your LinkedIn profile) and, importantly, a personal statement telling us:
1. Why you want to work for our homelessness charity, and 2. What specific experience you have that meets the experience requirements listed in the Essential points of the Person Specification.
Closing date
Monday 17 August at 11am. Interviews are planned for 26-28 August 2026. If possible, please let us know your availability on these dates in your application.
